Ambassador Jayatilleka speaks on Lanka's situation

Sri Lanka's Ambassador to France Dayan Jayatilleka spoke on 'Post-War Reconciliation and External Relations: the Challenges for Sri Lanka', at a conference organised by ILERI, an institute for international relations based in Paris. The institute was founded in 1948 and was presided for over 20 years by its founder René Cassin, French Nobel Peace Prize winner, followed in 1976 by former French Minister and essayist Edgar Faure and by former French Prime Minister, Raymond Barre.

The first part of the conference consisted of introductory remarks by Ambassador Jayatilleka on the complexity of Sri Lanka's situation. "If there is one lesson that I have learnt from being a participant, an observer, a student, an activist, a teacher, an analyst and commentator on Sri Lanka, it is to understand the value of complexity. It is necessary sometimes to complexify, so to speak, but not to obscure the reality, because if you do grasp complexity, then you can understand problems of theory in politics, in international affairs; probably even problems of philosophy", he said.

The introductory remarks were followed by an interaction between Dr. Jayatilleka and Prof. Jacques de Goldfiem, former Defence Attaché at the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka and lecturer specialising in Asia at the ILERI, on matters pertaining to Sri Lanka's current situation.

A question and answer session also took place during which Ambassador Jayatilleka answered many questions from both students and lecturers on Sri Lanka's Constitution, its political system and its economic growth; issues of human rights, accountability and political reconciliation, and Sri Lanka's relationship with India, China and Pakistan. He also responded to questions from the students on his role and duties as Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.